What is Parent-Child Interaction Therapy?

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Parent-Child Interaction Therapy is an approach to family therapy that focuses on parents’ relationships with their children. PCIT focuses on parenting skills and mental health concerns within a child. Children might need therapy due to behavioral problems, but parents or caregivers must keep up therapeutic work in the home for these problems to get better.

PCIT teaches parents the basics of Play Therapy, which uses games and activities to facilitate growth in children. Counselors teach parents to use play as a positive reinforcer of good behavior. This positive reinforcement increases the likelihood that the good or desired behavior will increase.

PCIT can be helpful for children diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder, anxiety disorders, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, or other behavioral issues.

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